What is the benefit of having a Porcelain Crab

[luckylittleman]

I have an emerald crab it is great. So I thought I would switch it up a little. Can you tell me anything about the Porcelain Crab?

[Scuba Oz]

Not really anything you "want" but can be usefull

[LittlePuff]

Do you want the kind with an anemone or without?

[luckylittleman]

Not sure probably Anemone.

Also should I get a pair of them?

[Angel*Fish]

They are specialized feeders filtering micro-foods out the water with tiny"hairs"on 2 of their arms. They aren't much/any benefit for your tank and if you don't have enough food in your water for them, you'll be doing them harm by purchasing them.

I have had both - some say the anemone crabs irritate the anemones, but mine seems to be fine - especially since it has become a very large anemone. The clowns are very sweet about it & have not kicked him off. I've had him about a year. I keep a high nutrient tank so he gets plenty of food. I also have a well-established & lush deep sand bed which produces tons of tiny larvae.

IMO you shouldn't purchase the anemone type without an anemone. And the anemone should be large so it's not harassed by the crab. Some clowns will not tolerate a crab on their anemone.

I wouldn't consider one of of these until your tank is at least 6mo-1year old.

[Mental1]

I got about 4 Porcelain Crabs with my rock. They have survived the tank cycling and my newbie bumbling so far. I do feed the tank stuff which they benefit from as I do have some hard and soft corals. I don't know if what I have are anenome crabs or not but they seem to be happy little crabs. They are really cool crabs who appear to be great survivors and will never harm your reef tank. I don't think there is any other crab that you can say that about as all (including Emerald) coming with a warning to keep an eye on them. All except the Porcelain crabs.

[Jocko]

I got a bunch of them as hitchhikers on my TBS rock. I'm not sure what this whole thing about them starving is. Yeah they filter feed but they are more than happy to grab a chunk o' food and chow down. All of mine have been with my tank since the beginning and they have all grown up nice and big.

It's true that they aren't terribly useful, but they are very cool. I do not have anemone ones, just regular. They look neat when they filter and they also have personality.

[LittlePuff]

If they are cream colored and have fans, they're anenome crabs. The others are red/purple with fans. I've got a non enemone. They will help keep your water clear. I feed mine cyclope-ze, crushed foods, mysis, brine shrimp, rotifers, Formula 2, and bloodworms, phyto and zooplankton.

[Angel*Fish]

The first one i had was not an anemone type and it too came as a hitchiker - As for the starving issue, I am quoting Ron Shimek from his invert book -

[luckylittleman]

Thanks for all the info. I am going tomorrow to get 1 porcelin crab.

[LittlePuff]

Mine eats every time I put food in the tank. I don't know why they'd starve.

[Angel*Fish]

Well I went back to check where I read this - the non-anemone ones are no problem at all, some of the anemone ones will also eat other foods but apparently not all. He says "Most starve to death due to lack of sufficient planktonic foods"

[Jocko]

Oh ok. That explains it. Thats a good distinction to make! Thanks for the info.